There Is No Sentiment
by tiger-lilly-876
Summary: As Harry began to blame himself for the Sirius' death he started to distance himself from his friends. Draco, burdened with the task set by the Dark Lord, became withdrawn and depressed looking to escape from the choice he has been forced to make. When the two enemies are drawn together through their lonely isolation, who knows what the full extent of their relationship will bring.
1. Chapter 1

There is no Sentiment

Chapter 1

"Bye, Harry!" Hermione called. Her hazel hair spiralled behind her, whilst she turned towards Ron as she spoke. Harry shrugged; casting his eyes to the ground, as he suddenly remembered that Ron and Hermione had prefect duties to attend to. "Yeah, see you later, mate!" Ron shouted over his shoulder. His tall was frame towering over Hermione as she dragged him by his lanky arm to the prefect's carriage. Harry was certain that they didn't have to go that soon, a quick thought flashed through his mind – they probably didn't want to be around him anyway.

If anyone were to look closely at the Golden Boy, they would have noticed his clothes hanging off his frame, the dark shadows that seemed to reside permanently under his eyes, like a deep bruised purple. They would have also have seen that his eyes seemed to have lost their usual spark, now appearing lifeless and dull.

Realizing that he eventually had to get a seat on the Hogwarts Express, Harry slowly shuffled, his shoulders hunched, to the closest empty compartment that he could find. Dumping his bags on the seat opposite him he sagged down onto the well-worn chair. After the Hogwarts Express set off, Harry closed his eyes and rested his head against the cold window trying his best to block out all noises around him. For the first time since discovering that he was a wizard, Harry was dreading going back to Hogwarts.

Harry decided that the grief of losing his parents was nothing compared to the loss of Sirius. He sighed wearily as he attempted to think anything else. Anything to stop the images of Sirius falling through the veil in the department of mysteries, the ghost of his laughter still etched onto his face. It was Harry's fault that Sirius died. They told him it wasn't, but he knew deep down that if he hadn't been so naive in believing he could control the visions without Snape, he knew Sirius would still be alive.

Harry thought that hours passed, yet he couldn't be sure, as he heard an erratic knock on his compartment door. As Harry was previously lost in hisown train of thought he jerked forward and smashed his forehead against the glass window. Cursing he quickly straightening up whilst rubbing at his throbbing skull. He yanked, perhaps harder than he had intended, the door open to find a terrified looking child shifting nervously from one foot to the other, his robes engulfing his small frame. He looked ridiculous, Harry thought as the young boy continued to stare up at harry. He decided that the boy seemed to be oscillating between fear and wonder.

"Hi?" Harry said, his voice coming out as a hoarse whisper from misuse. The boy stumbled over his words as he then tried to relay the message as quickly as possible. "Umm, well, I-I have a, uh, a message from…um, P-P-Professor Slughhorn," The boy thrust a small scroll of parchment out towards Harry, his hands shaking. Harry smiled slightly, bemused at the sight of the little boy. He took the piece of parchment gingerly and managed to mumble a quick thanks before the boy sprinted down the corridor. As Harry resigned back to his previous seat he was sure he heard a muffled thump from outside the compartment door. He's probably tripped over his robes, Harry shook his head chuckling.

As Harry proceeded to scan the letter he grimaced as he felt a headache coming on. The last thing he wanted to do was dine with rowdy Slughorn. His last impression of the man wasn't great. Sighing he stood, stretching his arms above his head and arched his back, before trudging towards the door. Passing the other carriages he thought he saw out of the corner of his eye a flare of red hair followed by a mane of chestnut curls. Ron and Hermione should have been back by now, he realised. They must be too busy with their prefect duties to remember him. They've probably completely forgotten about Harry, or at least couldn't be bothered to look for him. I'm fine without them. What's wrong with a little time alone? Harry thought.

Harry could feel the stares of other students as he walked by, like hundreds of spiders crawling all over him only he couldn't brush them off. He felt as though he needed to put on a mask of passive bravery to stop them seeing what was inside. How weak and pathetic he really was. He knew in times like these the last thing people needed to know was that the chosen one was a fraud. Harry knew that if he let anyone in too close they would surely see through the cracks of his already fractured mask. He reassured himself that the growing distance between himself, Ron and Hermione was for the best.

Finally he found himself outside Slughorn's compartment. Looking around he saw an array of students from different houses and years, some Harry had never met before, some he unfortunately knew only too well.

"Hi Harry!" beamed Neville happily, his brown eyes warm. What was he doing here? Harry wondered, but then realised that he didn't quite know what he was doing there either. "Hullo, Neville, Ginny" He nodded non-committedly to them both, his eyes straying to anywhere other than their faces.

"Do you know what we're doing here Harry?" Ginny asked her tone casual and light. As she spoke she flicked her long, ginger hair behind hair and cocked a hip, her doe, and hazel eyes glittering with mischief. Harry looked over towards her and saw that she was smiling cheekily at him. He felt a small twinge of regret in the back of his mind as Harry once again turned away from her shrugging for the second time that day.

Then without warning Slughorn threw open the doors of the carriage, his large belly appearing some time before his walrus like face. "Harry, ma' boy!" he cried, clasping onto one of Harrys shoulders shaking it slightly as he then dragged him forward. Harry simply nodded his head towards Slughorn and sat down on one of the ornate chairs set up around a large oak table. He hoped that Neville and Ginny wouldn't notice that he had chosen the seat furthest away from them. Slughorn continued talking however Harry blocked him out, keeping his head down until he heard the distasteful man boom, "And last, but most certainly not least, we have The Chosen One! Mister Harry Potter himself!" whilst Slughorn laughed heartily Harry cringed, he was certain that the whole of the train could hear. He could picture Malfoy pompously rolling his eyes and his pale lips forming a sniggering at Slughorn's dramatic introduction. "What an honour it is to have you here, and be able to talk to you on this fine afternoon, Harry!" Harry could safely say, if anyone was to ask him, that it was the most humiliating train journey he'd ever had.

Draco dutifully bid farewell to his mother, his pale, drawn face, stoic and unreadable like marble. He gracefully boarded the train, trying hard, but miserably failing, to blend into the crowd. He could hear the whispers of his father's name as he walked the agonizingly long path towards his usual compartment with the rest of his fellow Slytherins. He silently took a seat next to Pansy Parkinson. Her short dark hair swinging as she turned to look at him, eyes looking up and down, assessing for any damage. He offered her a quick smile that came out as more of a grimace. She then started up an animated discussion with Blaize about her new shoes. Draco's eyes slowly looked round the rest of the compartment, seeing burley Crab and Goyle talking in hushed tones, presumably about achieving their dark marks. Next he saw Pansy, her hands on hip, a smirk plastered onto her face as Blaize raised his arms up in submission, laughing. Finally he saw Millicent - much like himself – sitting in a corner observing the room, when her obsidian eyes flashed up and met his own stormy pair. Quickly he adverted his own gaze, unwilling to engage in a conversation with anyone, let alone Millicent, at that moment.

Eventually Blaize was summoned to some special dinner with this new teacher, Slughorn. Considering his father's current political status, Draco understood why he also wasn't asked to join them, he still couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. He was after all still a Malfoy. Pansy finally noticed the lack of witty remarks from Draco. She got up and squeezed in next to Draco. "Are you okay, Draco?" she asked, her heart-shaped face full of concern.

He forced his mouth to speak in a rusty narrative, giving her the usual answers that he was fine. That she shouldn't worry. That he was just tired. She seemed to understand what he felt behind his meaningless words. Draco laid his head down upon her lap, closing his eyes as he felt her fingers comb through his silky hair. His thoughts drifted once again to his task – his impossible task –which the Dark Lord had given him. The mere thought of it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end and his stomach lurch. His thoughts then turned to his father. He knew that his task was only revenge on his farther for his fatal mistake. Its Potters fault that his father had ended up in Azkaban and that he now had to find a way to complete his task. Potter, the naïve little prat, ruined his life and he knew he was now powerless in Hogwarts.

Draco felt that he couldn't control anything in his life anymore. First it was his father. His merciless, cold father whom dictated his every move as a child and still had control over Draco even from Azkaban as Draco's fearful respect was to be ingrained into him for the rest of his life. Next Dumbledore, favouring the Gryffindor's, especially the Golden Trio, not paying any regards to the Slytherins and their needs. Finally it was the Dark Lord, who now held Draco's life in his untrustworthy hands. If Draco didn't complete his task he knew that the Dark Lord would kill him and his family, however not before torturing them first.

Suddenly billowing clouds of choking smoke filled not only Draco's compartment, but the entire carriage. Pansy let out a frankly alarming squeal that made Draco jump out of his seat and onto his feet. He swiftly drew his wand and muttered a spell that was supposed to clear smoke or fog, however it was no use on the magical black haze that blocked everyone's vision. Pansy then persisted to grab Draco's hand and grip it tightly. He could hear people coughing and spluttering around him. But Draco was no longer focused on what others were doing as he could have sworn a figure just brushed past him.

Draco had heard rumours that Potter was in possession of an invisibility cloak, no doubt given to him, by Dumbledore. Yet he wouldn't put it past Potter to use Mudblood Granger or Weaselby to do his dirty work. Probably sent to spy on him. Draco decided if there was any possibility of one member of the Golden Trio he'd better watch what he said for the rest of the journey, if he decide to confide in his friends about his task and one of them found out Dumbledore would probably find out before he even set foot in Hogwarts. Once everyone had settled down again, Draco began to boast about how his father wanted to move him to Durmstrang this year, but his mother simply couldn't bear for him to be so far away from home. Apparently Hogwarts was far enough anyway, according to his mother. When Draco said that had much better things, more important things, to be doing then messing about in Charms class this year, Pansy spluttered "Surely you can't mean that Draco? Hogwarts might be a pain right now, but when you've finially left everyone says that all the friends and memories you make there stay with you for the rest your life!"

There was a pregnant pause as the whole compartment was silent before Draco gave a laboured sigh, "In the real world, Pansy, such sentiment doesn't excist."


	2. Chapter 2

There Is No Sentiment

Chapter 2

Once in the prefect's carriage Hermione let go of Ron. "'Mione what was that all about? We could have been with Harry for at least another ten minutes!" Ron whined.

"He'll be okay for now," Hermione dismissed with a shake of her head, but when she began to speak again her face became much more serious, "Actually Ron, I'm rather worried about Harry, have you noticed, I don't think he's being his usual self, have you seen how thin he looks recently, have you noticed the bags under his eyes? I mean I doubt he gets much food or sleep at the Dursley's, but still, I'm certain that since last year he's lost weight, sure he's got taller but-"

"Alright, alright, Hermione, I get it, don't worry, I'll talk to him," Ron soothed, placing his long arm gently around her shoulders, giving her a small squeeze. Hermione looked down feeling a warm blush spreading across her delicate cheek bones. Why am I blushing? She thought, scolding herself internally. It's not like Ron and I have never hugged before. What's different now? However Ron didn't seem to notice as his eyes were glazed in a way that Hermione knew he was thinking deeply. Of course he's thinking about Harry, like a good friend should be whilst I'm blushing like I have a silly school girl crush!

"We have to make sure he's okay. We can't do much more than that." Ron said to himself, still staring at the window opposite them. Harry is feeling all alone after Sirius' death so we are just going to have to be there for him more than ever. He is going to need a lot of support, definitely more than when Cedric died. We have to make him stop blaming himself for Sirius' death. I know it wasn't his fault and I wish he would believe that too. Ron thought to himself. Although preoccupied thinking about Harry, Ron couldn't help but notice how perfectly Hermione fit against him, her small frame tucked under his arm.

Suddenly Ron felt the warmth against him jump up, leaving his side. Ron's gaze sharpened and he tried to focus on what Hermione was talking about, however he couldn't hear or see anything except for her pink, cupid lips. When she grabbed his arm, pulling him to stand, he suddenly fell out of his trance, looking at Hermione, blinking owlishly before saying, "What?" Hermione slapped his freckled, pale arm trying to scowl, but her lip quivered when Ron gave her his best pout. She finally gave in, and let out a small tinkering laugh. Then she sighed deeply. "Ronald Weasley, what am I going to do with you? Come on, we have to get to our prefects meeting. We don't want to be late!" She finally cried, rushing out of the compartment door, leaving a dumfounded Ron in her wake.

When the painstakingly long dinner finally ended Harry rushed out of Slughorn's compartment, making sure the man wouldn't have a chance to try and speak to him once everyone else had gone, as he had suggested earlier. As he was swiftly bid farewell to Neville and Ginny, he caught sight of an attractive, dark skinned Slytherin, Harry knew to be called Blaize Zabbini, wondering down to a compartment right at the end of the train. Harry guessed that was where the rest of the Slytherins where residing, including Malfoy. Harry wandered if he would ever be able to confirm his burning suspicion that Malfoy had recently been branded with the Dark Mark.

Suddenly a thought struck Harry – if he were to use that magic powder he got from Fred and Georges' joke shop - he would easily be able to slip into Malfoy's compartment under his invisibility cloak. It's not anyone's going to notice that I'm gone, Harry though wistfully to himself. Quickly he ran back to his compartment where he hastily grabbed his father's old cloak, his own wand and finally the black powder. If this doesn't work, Harry thought, I will murder Fred and George. He threw the cloak over himself, very conscious of the fact that everything below his ankles were showing. Harry broke out into a run towards were he knew Malfoy's usual compartment was.

Just before entering the Slytherins carriage he hurled in the black powder. Immediately black magical smoke engulfed the entire train carriage, including all the compartments. Knowing he didn't have much time, Harry charged in the carriage to his right. During all the chaos Harry was able to clamber up onto the baggage rack, praying it would support his weight. After all the smoke had finally disappeared, Harry couldn't help but have an un-nerving feeling that pair of eyes were watching him.

After over an hour of lying in the most uncomfortable position Harry could possibly think of, the Hogwarts Express finally began to slow down. Harry sighed inwardly. He had discovered nothing about Malfoy, other than the completely unnecessary information, but yet somehow slightly surprising, that Draco's mother didn't regard her son as a complete cretin, unlike Harry did.

It was only when Malfoy told his friends to go on without him did his heart rate increase with anxiety. Harry's mind raced, trying in vain to escape the inevitable fate that he had been caught.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Shouted Draco from underneath where Harry was stationed. Harry felt his arms and legs become glued straight. The only movements Harry was now able to make was his eyes widening in panic as they continued to dart around the now deserted carriage, of course all except that ferret-faced git himself. During his sudden change of movement Harry therefor tipped over the edge of the baggage rack. He hit the ground with a crash and could already feel the bruises that would be covering his back and shoulder tomorrow. He internally winced in pain, however externally all he could do was muster up his best glare.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop Potter? Oh, wait she was dead before you were old enough to wipe the drool of your face." Draco scorned his tone patronizing. Harry felt his blood boil in rage as he struggled to move to no avail. Draco moved forward to stare down at Harry's venerable body and lifted his boot clad foot over his face. The Slytherin stamped down hard just as the compartment door opened, slamming into the wall with a bang!

After waiting as long as they possibly could, Ron and Hermione decided Harry must have got an earlier carriage without them; the pair clambered onto the last remaining carriage. Sitting opposite each other, their knees brushed together making Hermione jump back in her seat looking flushed. Ron, however seem yet again oblivious to her embarrassment. After a few minutes of silence Ron preceded break it, slumping forward and resting his elbows on his knees, he muttered something illegible. Hermione gave a small, "Hmm…what was that?" distractedly. Ron sighed but repeated his sentence again but louder and clearer, "The prat could have at least waited for us, don't you think 'Mione?" Hermione was preparing to defend her other best friend when she saw the defeated look that crossed Ron's face and she felt her anger drain away and was replaced with compassion. She edged forward in her seat and took one of Ron's hands, she couldn't help but noticed that his hand much larger than her own.

"Harry just needs to clear his head before he sees us, up at the castle. I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it. We just have to be patient with him." Ron looked down at their now entwined hands and the looked back up into Hermione's soft bistre eyes and smiled a real smile. One that reached his eyes. "Your right Hermione," He murmured, "You're always right." At that moment Hermione knew that even with the struggles that lay ahead, she would always have Ron.

"Malfoy! What are you doing?" It was none other than Professor Snape. Harry didn't quite know whether to laugh or cry. He could feel his own hot blood trickling down the side of his face and decided that maybe in his current situation that forced him to remain silence was perhaps for the best. He looked up to see Malfoy blush as the sound of his name. The look on Snape's face was utter bewilderment. Malfoy looked wildly around the room before claiming that he had left something behind and had come to retrieve it. Snape raised one eyebrow mockingly, "Is that so?" Before slowly gliding forward until he stopped, mere centimetres from Harrys prone form. "Then what Malfoy, do you suppose is this?" He sneered, seconds before ripping Harry's invisibility cloak of his rigid body. Harry could feel the blood dripping down his face onto his shirt, imagining that through Snape's eyes, the scene he just walked into probably looked rather peculiar. "So Mister Malfoy, how would you proposes Mister Potter here, found himself in your compartment, covered in blood as well as being under a full body-binding spell?"

Malfoy stood in front of Snape; face slack, unable to answer his formidable head of house with only The Chosen One between them. "I thought so. Mister Malfoy, Mister Potter, I think detentions for the rest of the term, twice a week will suffice. Do you not agree boys?" He lazily flicked his wand freeing the still motionless Harry from the curse.

Harry scrambled to his feet in embarrassment and quickly drew his hand up to his nose in an attempt to stop the bleeding. "So glad The Golden Boy finally decides to grace us with his presence," sneered the potions master. Malfoy couldn't contain a slight snigger. Snape turned fluidly, his robes fanning out behind him. "Something funny Malfoy?" That wiped the smirk off his face. They silently began the long trek up to the castle.

"How does it feel boys, to be the reason why both Slytherin and Gryffindor already to have lost a considerable amount of points before the year has even began?" Harry knew that once Snape started asking rhetorical questions, they were in trouble. "I'm sure Potter's already relishing the feeling of attention from the entire school, aren't you Potter?" Harry just kept his head down, though his insides were seething. "But honestly Draco," Snape continued, "I am surprised at you," he said putting on a voice, that Harry knew sounded like Snape was disappointed, but he actually couldn't care less.

Once finally having entered Hogwarts and the unusual trio stood in front of the oak doors, Harry took a deep breath and braced himself. "Are you ready to make another one of your grand entrances, Potter? I'm sure the blood on your face will have your fans talking for weeks," Snape hissed, Harry did his best to ignore the man's words of hatred, now was not the time to snap at Snape. After the great doors opened, Harry felt the pressure of seven years' worth of students' eyes on him. Judging him. Weighing him down. However the eyes that felt the heaviest were Dumbledore's own electric blue, sparkling orbs. Harry ducked his head as an eruption of whispers broke out. He saw Malfoy take a sharp left, with his head held high. At that moment Harry envied Draco Malfoy. Then again he wasn't the one covered in blood. Once he reached Ron and Hermione he sunk down onto the bench in between them. "Bloody hell, mate!" Ron whispered.

"What could you have possibly done this time?" Hermione sighed weakly and poked at her dinner. Harry rubbed the back of his neck nervously before saying softly, "Well…I'll tell you both up at the tower." Harry ground out as he saw Dean and Seamus staring at him. "Blimey mate, you could at least tell us what happened to your nose," However Harry wasn't listening as he had turned to look towards the Slytherin table. Out of all the eyes watching him the ones that stood out the most were the stormy grey ones. Their gazes were locked for an intense second. Harry saw Malfoy jerk round as a spark of electricity shot through his stomach.


	3. Chapter 3

Once Hermione and Ron had completed their prefect duties they entered the common room, side by side, to find Harry slouched upon his favourite armchair, staring gloomily into the dying embers of the fire. As they approached he shot a weary smile in their direction, however Ron could tell it didn't reach his eyes. Ron and Hermione both sat tensely opposite Harry, waiting for him to make the first move. Time seemed to be moving painstakingly slow. Finally Harry looked up at his two best friends, as though acknowledging their present for the first time.

"So I guess-" a loud grumble exploded from the depths of Ron's half of the armchair. For a minute they were silent, eyes wide and darting between each other, before the golden trio bursted out into laughter. Ron's ears erupted into a volcanic shade of scarlet, an even brighter colour than his own hair. As the laughter died down the atmosphere became awkward and once again stiffly tense.

Harry sighed almost defeatedly before muttering in a rather embarrassed fashion, "Malfoy stepped on me." His cheeks reddened slightly. "What?" Hermione frowned, yet both boys could make out the amusement hidden unsuccessfully in the tone of her voice. "He did put me in a full body bind beforehand though!" Harry whined, suddenly defensive.  
"Mate, come on. What were you even doing in a full body bind?" Ron asked incredulously shaking his head.

"Well, I was kind of eavesdropping... But that's beside the point!" Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "I think Malfoy's a Death Eater'" Harry blurted, almost shouting at the pair before him.

Ron looked like he was about to laugh in disbelief,"Yeah right, Harry! Think about it for a minute! Would You Know Who really appoint a sixteen-year-old boy, who's still in Hogwarts to be a Death Eater?" Harry groaned with annoyance, "Voldemort, Ron! His name is Vol-de-mort!"

"Harry, your not listening to him!" Hermione gently warned.

"Look mate," Ron continued, this time with even more caution, "all I'm saying is that I seriously doubt that... Voldemort... Would make Malfoy a Death Eater!"

"Well your wrong." Harry said blatantly, refusing to acknowledge Ron's notion, "Hermione said it herself! Didn't you Hermione!" Harry shot her a pleading look, his bottle green eyes desperate, "you saw the Dark Mark on Draco's forearm!"

"Harry... I don't know what I saw! It was dark, I was scared! I definitely wasn't paying attention to any minor details like Malfoy's wrist! It could have easily been a shadow that I saw! Or maybe even his cuff!" Hermione sighed with exasperation.

I knew they wouldn't believe me. Do they think I'm making this up?

Harry thought angrily to himself. He felt his blood boiling under his skin and rushing to his cheeks. "Okay, fine." Harry began shortly, "Bye guys, goodnight, I'll see you in the morning I guess." Without looking back, Harry rose swiftly from his chair and ascended up to his dormitory, with Ron calling after him, "wait up, mate!"

Draco was lying on his bed in the gloomy Slytherin dormitory. With the curtain drawn shut, not a slither of light could breach his bed. He squeezed his eyes shut as he tried in vain to forget the events that had he occurred the past summer.

On top of all that, then there was also Potter and those ridiculous detentions. What did Professor Snape think he was doing giving him those bloody detentions twice a week for the rest of the term, with Potter of all people! Even Potter, although a half wit, might discover his task and what with the amount of time they are being forced to spend with each other it was practically inevitable!

I have to stop thinking about Potter if I want to concentrate on my task, I can't have any distractions. What does Snape think he's playing at! He knows about my challenge.

Draco thought angrily to himself before jumping swiftly out of his bed. Once he was standing upright he quickly pulled on a black cashmere jumper and made his way out of his dormitory silently, making an effort not to wake Crab and Goyle who both were laid snoring loudly, keeping to the shadows.

Draco wondered the moonlit corridor, his mind racing with various insane plans to possibly complete his insurmountable task. Before he knew it Draco found himself standing close to the top of the astronomy tower. He made his way up the final twisting staircase until he reached the ledge which descended into blackness. Gracefully setting himself down, Draco hung his feet, some what dangerously over the edge of the tower balcony. Draco stared up at the stars.

He thought back to when he was a young boy and his mother would take him out into the Manor grounds and teach him each constellation in the sky. He never forgot those precious memory's, of when he was genuinely happy. Of a time when he could show a real smile. So he had made a promise to himself that he never would forget them

_

The next few days Harry's life continued as normal, with the exception of distancing himself further from Ron and Hermione. Every thing was as conventional as anything could be at Hogwarts, that was, of corse, until he received a scroll with only too familiar scarlet ink scrawled across the page: only Snape would send such an ominous note just to inform Harry of the times of his detention. Harry scoffed to himself slightly as his eyes briefly scanned the parchment feeling an intense sensation of déjà vu.

Harry abruptly stood up, stuffing the parchment roughly into his pocket, hastily he grabbed an apple and left the grand hall taking long strides. As he stood outside the doors to his regular potion class Harry realised that this was practically the first time he had been early to Potions. He continued to smile to himself until he sensed a presences behind him: turning quickly Harry found himself directly in front of Draco Malfoy. Harry's scowl quickly turned into a slight blush of embarrassment as he realised he had to look up to stare Malfoy directly in the eyes: since when had he grown so much?

Malfoy simply smirked as he watched Harry's face heat up. "Potter," Draco addressed Harry curtly. Harry saw that Draco was also alone. Harry just gave an awkward nod of his head which unfortunately came out as more of a jerking twitch. Harry then subconsciously took a cautious step back as he realised how they must look, standing so close, with Harry's nose almost touching Draco's chest, in a deserted corridor in the dungeons.

After staring at his feet for what seemed like hours Harry gathered what was left of his Gryfindor pride and lifted his head. he wished he hadn't as he saw a bemused expression still etched onto Malfoy's usually smug face. "What!" Harry blurted out without thinking. Malfoy simply laughed at him this time and further more added, "Potter, your such an idiot!" before swaggering off into the open classroom, leaving Harry more flustered than when they were practically on top of each other.

The classes have gone way too quickly today!

Harry recollected himself, as he stood outside Snape's office door, waiting silently for his first detention. Finally he braced himself, and knocked onto the hard oak door. Suddenly it swung open revealing Snape, with a nasty spread on his face, "your late, Potter" was all Snape said. He opened the door further only to show off the fact that Malfoy was already sat lazily upon one of Snape's armchairs, looking comfortable. However the smirk on Malfoy's face soon evaporated when Snape informed the pair that they would be writing lines alone together for the next three bloody hours.

_  
Draco needed somewhere where he could try to get his plan into motion. But where? He paced angrily in the deserted corridor: all the other students where in classes but Malfoy couldn't be bothered. He ran a hand angrily through his already matted hair and groaned in bitter frustration. He was about to turn and storm back to his dorm when he heard a creaking noise from behind him. Without a second of haste, He spun on his heel, his wand in his hand, poised. He was ready to attack if need be. However all he saw was a modest wooden door that, to the passing student, would be relatively unnoticeable. However Draco thought it was intriguing. A slightly worrying thought flashed through his mind:

That door was defiantly not there a minute earlier.

Tightly gripping his drawn wand, Draco walked very slowly over to the mysterious door and gently pushed it open. He peered around warily only to find, to his astonishment that it was a room full of mis-matched junk. He stepped inside. The only audible noise was his ragged breathing. Stepping even further, Draco found himself strangely drawn closer into the depth of the oracular room, deciding it was safe he tucked is wand back into his baggy sleeve. Now feeling relaxed enough to have a proper scan of the abyssal chamber he had discovered, out of the corner of his eye he sought out a huge chestnut wardrobe. He felt as though it was beckoning out to him. With extreme caution he edged himself closer to the chest.

Once he stood close enough to touch Draco slowly ran his fingers across the intricate runes that had been carved into its ancient surface. He found himself recognising a few of the details from his ancient runes class.

Isn't that the rune for transportation? Intriguing...

Draco thought, as he caught sight of a rune right in the middle of the chest. He tugged on the brass door handle gently, only to find it wouldn't open.

He tried again, this time more forcefully, but to no avail.

I'm going to have to translate this before I can open it.

Draco glanced at his watch distractedly before doing a double take. He had been in the room for over two hours. He had about five minutes to get to Snape's dentition. Draco sprinted, without another second of haste, out of the room. He only stopping when he was outside in the 7th floor corridor to watch the door dissolve back into the stone wall as though it had never been there.

I have to look into that later.

Then he looked at his watch once more and proceeded to bolt back down towards the dungeons. Finally he arrived to fine that he still had about a minute to get inside. Composing himself quickly, he calmed his breathing and smoothed his robes, before knocking sharply against the door. He heard the deep"come in." Muffled, but still audible, through the thick door. He entered, poised and ready to serve the distasteful detention with Potter. He sat down and masked his face into one of impassiveness.

He scowled when he heard Potter knock clumsily on the door and enter looking rumpled with his shirt half tucked and his hair messier then normal if that was even possible. All in all he looked like a complete twat.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N

Hey guys! We know and realise that it always takes us a long time to update...and we're sorry but thats the way it is and is basically going to have to be. We're really sorry and we don't want to keep you all waiting for too long! Honestly if we could we would be spending all day, every day continuing this story, except we can't because like every other teenage girls in the world we do have school and homework and sports, music, ect.

We also don't live with each other (of course) so unless we have a sleepover with each other or something like that the only possible time we get to write is during lunchtimes at school (when we're not doing various clubs)so please try and be patient! We are hoping to be posting chapter 5 asap, now we are back at school after the half term break.

Thanks, Tiger-Lily-876

Chapter 4

After an hour of writing in painful silence Malfoy reclined, breaking the tension, back in his chair and stretched his long arms back over his head. "I'm done," He claimed smugly.

Harry looked up in utter disbelief, "what the hell?" He blurted out.

Merlins beard! How on earth did he write two thousand lines so quickly?

"What, Potter, did you honestly expect me to spend three hours writing lines. Who do you think I am, some form of muggle school boy?" Malfoy sneered, looking Harry up and down. "You haven't actually started writing them by hand have you Potter? Your such an idiot!" Draco bust out into laughter, "You don't know the charm do you Potter?" He said once he had calmed down.

Without a second of haste for Harry to retort angrily at the Slytherin, Draco ascended gracefully from his wooden chair and in a few long strides met Harry at the other side of the dark room. Harry made a small effort to stand up before his enemy but Malfoy swiftly dismissed him with a lazy swish of his hand.

Draco murmured the short incantation under his breath and to Harry's bewilderment his quill started to scratch out the lines on his provided parchment.

Harry was then torn between to possible retorts: yelling at Malfoy for calling him an idiot or beaming up at him in gratitude. However instead he decided to simply mutter, "thanks... I guess?" Before turning away from the celestial blond boy to hide his bright blush.

Much to Harry's annoyance, Draco proceeded to pull out a chair from the desk beside him and then swiftly place himself down. After placing his boot clad feet upon Harry's own desk, he chose to bore his icy blue eyes into the back of Harry's messy head. Harry felt his jaw twitching with the effort not to tell the prat to get his filthy shoes off his desk and to stop staring at him.

"You do realise that we have two hours left, Malfoy" Harry snapped eventually, bored of the heavy silence that had fallen upon them both and whipped his head around to face Draco in annoyance.

"Yes, actually believe it or not, I do know how to tell the time, Potter" Draco rolled his eyes at the so called 'Chosen One'. Once again Harry slowly turned his head away from the Slytherin, muttering to himself, "could've fooled me..."

"I thought Gryffindor's were meant to be brave! You can't even look at me! Scared Potter?" Malfoy mocked.

"Do you ever shut up?" Harry growled and then jerkily rose to his feet, shuffling over to the furthest desk from the git. He roughly yanked a chair back causing a ungodly noise. He then fell down into the seat. He slouched forward, wearily resting his cheek against his clenched fist.

"Really Potter, I can't be worse than that orange tumour you call a friend." Draco sneered, baiting him. His eyes were gleaming as he waited in anticipation for Harry's reply.

Oh Potter; so easy to toy with. Draco thought to himself.

"Piss off Malfoy. Ron's worth ten of you any day!" Harry spat turning to face his enemy.

"Sorry - I didn't realise you were so protective of your pets," the blonde jeered. "Oh and tell me, how's the mudblood?"

Harry slammed his hands down on the table and spun to face Draco. He stormed closer with every word, drawing his wand as he spoke,"at least I don't have two trolls following me around!" Harry stopped directly in front of Draco, his wand pointed at at Malfoy's neck threateningly; his hand shaking with anger.

"You wound me Potter!" Draco raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and clutched at his heart as though in pain. "Although I think we both know who would win in a duel between us, Potter, I would be very surprised If Snape appreciated us having a fight in his private dungeon. Besides if he wasn't granted permission to disembowel us, he'd surely force us to spend another night in the Forbidden Forest, and we both know how fantastic that went last time!"

Harry laughed without any humour as he remembered his first detention, "Yes. You ran away screaming and left me with a dog, although it's not as if the company was any better!"

"At least I didn't didn't get your mutt of a godfather killed!"

With that, Harry lost all common sense and launched himself at the blond, punching and kicking any part of the other boy he could reach. However Draco quickly re-gained his Malfoy pride by rolling them over on the floor and pinning Potter beneath him. His legs locked in a tight grip against Harry's sides. Harry began to squirm underneath the blond prat, trying in vain to free himself but of corse to no avail.

Draco then grabbed both ends of Harry's collar and lifted his head up to his own; their noses just a hairs width away from touching. Harry's breath came out I angry pants when he realised the blonde wasn't going to let go.

Malfoy leaned his head closer and Harry felt the slightest brush of lips against his cheek until they stopped by his ear. Harry felt Draco's hot, ragged breath beat rhythmically against his neck as he hissed, "Seems like you did honestly think you could beat me, Pot-"

The rest of Draco's sentence trailed off as he caught sight of the ominous shadow that fell over his eyes.

Draco unceremoniously let go of Harry's shirt, letting the Chosen ones head crash onto the stone ground, creating a dull thud that echoed around the dungeon.

"What was that for?" Harry whined as he attempted once again to free himself from Draco's hold. Although Malfoy kept him down, he did manage to free one arm from Draco's clutches, which he awkwardly twisted to cradle his abused head.

Malfoy's eyes darted up to find a dark figure towering above them.

"Why is that whenever you two are left alone together, our Chosen Boy here always ends up on the floor, with you, Draco on top of him? It seems to be becoming almost a routine for you two." Snape drawled, casting a condescending look over them."I wouldn't even expect first years to indulge themselves in such childish antics. Your behaviour disgusts me. Personally I would rather die than be caught fighting like an intoxicated muggle, but then I wouldn't expect much etiquette from you Potter."

After what felt like hours of Draco staring earnestly up at Snape and Harry painfully twisting his neck to glare up at the man, Snape decided to speak, " You can get of him Draco, unless of course, you enjoy straddling Mister Potter down there."

With that Harry managed to free both arms and gave Malfoy a hard shove just as the blonde had been attempting to stand. This resulted in Draco stumbling forward causing Snape to stretch an arm out to steady him.

Harry laughed, still sitting on the floor as he waited for his legs to stop tingling.

"You are dismissed," Snape sighed wearily, sending a withering glare at the boy laughing on the floor. "Be quite at once Potter. Same place, same time in two days." And with that he left in a billow of black robes.

_

"Enter," Dumbledore cheerfully called whilst unraveling the yellow wrapper of a lemon drop.  
Snape barged in muttering profanities under his breath and started to pace back and forth in front of Dumbledores desk, raking a potion stained hand through his greasy locks. "Oh Severus, I must recommend L'Oreal; a muggle shampoo. It's really quite brilliant. Works wonders for my beard."

Snape only rolled his eyes before stopping and slamming his hands on the desk."Those boys will be the death of me." Dumbledores eyes sparkled and a small smile crept onto his lips, aggravating Snape even more.

"You mean Mister Potter and Mister Malfoy?"

"Who else?" Snape snapped, narrowing his eyes; looking incredulously at the old man before him.

"What's happened this time?" Dumbledore gave a long, drawn out sigh. Of course, he was used to Snape complaining about a certain pair of sixth year boys.

"Where to begin, Albus, where to begin..." Snape slumped himself down tiredly into the chair opposite the headmaster.

"Well I always found that the beginning is a very good place to start!" Dumbledore smiled gayly, waving his hand as if to encourage Snape with his tale.

"I left them on their own for hour Albus! An hour! And that in itself was to serve their detention I gave them for the whole train incident-" Snape was interrupted by a deep chuckle from the old warlock before him, "Ahh yes the train incident. What an unfortunate event." However his face displayed nothing but happiness.

Snape just rolled his eyes and continued: "I found Draco on top of Potter! Literally sitting on him! And even after I walked in I had to instruct Draco to get off to get off your precious Golden boy!"

"Draco sounds like quite the alpha male doesn't he?" Dumbledore giggled, popping yet another lemon drop into his mouth.

Severus snarled, "They were in detention Albus! I walked in on them fighting like incompetent muggle and you are laughing. And can you stop this obsessive need for sour, hard-boiled sweets!"

Dumbledore lifted his eyes gravely to meet Severus',"I'm dying Severus..."

Snape felt his face fall slack, he knew of the headmaster's cursed hand and in his free time was doing all he could to find a cure. "I'm so sorry, Albus. I didn't mean to-"

Once again the potions master found himself cut off by the batty headmasters laughter, "what?" He asked, truly puzzled.

"You need to let loose an have fun Severus! Live a little!" Dumbledore smiled.

"Well I'm sorry, Albus, but I think you'll find that when facing almost certain death every minute of your life for, how long has it been? About twenty years, it's rather difficult to fit something as trivial as fun into your schedule."

"I know Severus. I know." Dumbledore eyes taking on a far away look.

With that Snape stood up and left the old headmaster to his thoughts.

_

As Draco entered the Slytherin common room Pansy let out a high, long wolf whistle, "My, My Draco, you have been busy!"  
And of course with her obnoxiously loud voice the rest of the occupants of the common room turned their eyes to Draco. He gave them a piercing glare to which they all hastily turned away.

He sat down with his usual crowd. He the turned to Pansy, "What do you mean?"

"You know what she means Draco. Which lucky girl, or boy for that matter, was it this time?" Blaize replied smirking.

"Don't be stupid Blaize. Not that it's any of your business but It was simply a detention with Potter."

"Oh I didn't realise he was your type?" Theodor Nott chirped from the corner, peeking over the top of his book, Draco could still see the smirk on his face.

Draco felt blood rush to his high cheekbones and Pansy added, "let's face it, Draco, it's not like you ruffled your hair and untucked your shirt your self!"

"We had a fight if you must know!" Draco said quickly before they could imply anything else.

"Well your quick you defend your new little Gryffindor pal!" Blaisze chuckled.

"Don't be absurd, it's rather difficult, Pansy, to keep your hair perfect when someone's punching you in the face, would you like to test the theory out yourself? I'm sure Blaize would be more than happy to assist me." Draco offered, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

"Calm down Draco! We know potters a prat! You'd be more likely to go out with that Hannah Abbot from Hufflepuff!" Pansy teased playfully.

"I'd pay to see Draco going out with a Hufflepuff!" Theo laughed from his corner as Pansy proceeded to slap him on the arm with her copy 'Witch Weekly' magazine.

Draco, tired with their childish behaviour, bid them goodnight, and left them once again to brood the events of the day in his bedroom.


End file.
